Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Joyeux Noel...Alleluiah!

Christmas1_2   "For to us a child is born
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Isa 9:6


If we could condense all the truths of Christmas into only three words, these would be the words: "God with us." We tend to focus our attention at Christmas on the infancy of Christ. The greater truth of the holiday is His deity. More astonishing than a baby in the manger is the truth that this promised baby is the omnipotent Creator of the heavens and the earth!

John F. MacArthur
, Jr.


From my house to yours, we're wishing you all every blessing this holiday season and a healthy, prosperous New Year. May every day be Christmas Day for you in 2008!


See you in January...


Sean, Cris, Mandy and Allie Cunningham

Thursday, November 22, 2007

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

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A Thanksgiving Day prayer:


"O Lord, with humble hearts we pray
Thy blessing this Thanksgiving Day
And ask that at table place,
Where grateful folk say words of grace,
That Thou will come to share the yield
Thy bounty gave to farm and field.
We pray thy love will bless, O Lord,
Each hearth, each home, each festive board;
And that Thy peace will come to stay
Where candles glow, Thanksgiving Day. "



Happy Thanksgiving and many blessings to you and yours!

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Hey

Summer is flying by -- we just spent two glorious weeks in Maine and Cape Cod. Now I'm back home and knee-deep in laundry! It's that time of year again...we're gearing up for back-to-school and I'm trying to get my mojo hopping for a big project I'm undertaking that will be published next year. It's been a very busy summer and I really enjoyed taking some time off to tend to things that needed to be done around the house, and enjoy some quality time with Sean and the girls. I'll be posting more art-related pics beginning September 1, but in the meantime I'll leave you with some awesome peeks from our vacation. 


Img_3675While in Rockport, Maine we splurged and stayed at the Samoset Resort. Our room was the one in the middle with the flower boxes. While I am not a big fan of these big, fancy resort-type hotels (we prefer to rent a cottage or condo, but made our decision to travel too late to make the appropriate arrangements), I LOVED this place. They are very casual and had lots of activities for the kids. We could literally do as much or as little as we wanted. The staff is very friendly (I mean, they really go out of their way to make you comfortable), and the property is beautiful. Our room was actually a parlor suite with a direct view of the lighthouse and golf course. It was HUGE with a private balcony, lots of windows and an enormous marble bathroom...sweeeeeet.


Img_3986_2 A look at the very busy Rockport harbor in Maine.


Img_3623Our room afforded us a wonderful view of the Rockport Breakwater Lighthouse. In order to get to the lighthouse we had to walk 1.5 miles each way over these granite slabs (collectively called the "breakwater"). As you can see, in a few spots there are huge gaps between the stones. Took us a while, but we got the hang of it and made it there and back in just under an hour. Those are Mandy's very long legs expertly negotiating a particularly tricky section of the breakwater.


Img_3624_2 Another view of the breakwater leading to the lighthouse.


Img_3576 I fell in love with the amazingly beautiful Maine coastline


Img_4164 I have always been intrigued with the beauty and history of the Atlantic Coast lighthouses. So needless to say I made sure Sean drove us to as many lights as we had time to visit. This is a pic of the Chatham Light on Cape Cod. Chatham is a very sweet little town with a bustling Main Street jammed with quaint shops and outdoor eateries (and the best ice cream shop on the Cape!). We loved it there!


Img_4206Check out these surfers. They were so fun to watch...I also caught a quick glimpse of a baby seal that washed up near shore, but couldn't move fast enough to get a pic!


Img_3655_7 The sunsets in Maine were just spectacular!


Ok -- thanks for looking. See you next month!!!!!!!!!!!!! xoxo

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Back in the Saddle

Wow -- has it been over a month already? Summer sure is a-flying by. I want to thank all of you for your support when Allie was sick. That really threw us for a loop.  My family is so appreciative of your prayers, good wishes and advice. Allie is on medication, and seems to be doing very well. Thank you again for all your well wishes.


I've been taking this opportunity to catch up on a few past due projects and enjoy a few classes. Two weeks ago I drove over to Danbury Connecticut for a crop retreat weekend with the very fab Julie and Barb of Lasting Memories. Juliebarb_2 These two are a hoot! I had the good fortune to take five classes with Angelia Wiggington, who you all know is one of my FAVORITE scrapbook artists. Can I just tell you how much I love this girl? It was so fun being in her classes and hanging out with her for a bit. She's so talented and an absolute doll to boot. I ADORE her! We made 3 mini books and 6 layouts (and I was drooling over the yummy papers and color combinations she used...OMGoodness!) Here's a pic of some of the projects, the missing ones are by my computer waiting for me to print out photos to attach. I think I'm getting the hang of this scrapbooking thing...who would have thought?  


Angeliacrown_017_2


Angeliacrown_012_2


And guess what? Shocker of all shockers...a mantel clock I designed in the beginning of the year is going to be featured in the upcoming Somerset Home magazine.  I almost fainted when I received my comp copy. The photography was exquisite...the whole magazine is really beautiful. 1somhome0701_cvr_lg


1somhome0701_sprd_03


I still have some catching up to do, but it feels good to be back in the saddle. I'm headed to the CK Convention in Valley Forge this weekend. I'm so psyched because Sean and the girls are coming with me this year. My 14 year-old, Mandy, will be taking a few classes with me. She loves to scrapbook, I love to shop! What a team...here's a pic of my crew I took last weekend. We're lucky to live so close to the water. This was taken down at our little neighborhood beach down the block.Seangirls

Monday, June 18, 2007

Well, never a dull moment here at the Cunningham House...


Last week, on June 9, my daughter Allie woke up and experienced another seizure. Now these are benign, rolandic epilectic in nature, which means they occur upon waking from sleep, usually last no longer than 3 minutes, and the patient outgrows them by age 13 or 14. They tend to cause no harm but are scary to go through. Allie's seizure was pretty textbook that day, and her history shows that this occurs every 6-7 months.  Unfortunately she had another seizure yesterday...Father's Day, and this one was more atypical in that she didn't really come out of it like she usually does. Her left side remained numb, even when she stopped convulsing, and she had a petit mal seizure even after we got her to the Emergency Room. They put her on a loading dose of meds right away to stop the seizures, and we stayed overnight in the hospital. Fortunately, she's doing remarkably well now and is back to her old self, but will remain on meds for about 2-3 years, especially since she's going through puberty. She slept really well while in the hospital, and that's the key to this whole condition....she needs quality sleep; so hopefully that will continue. I'm just praising God for protecting her and for guiding us through this whole ordeal. I had to reach the point where I surrendered everything to Him and let Him take over because it was too much for me to carry and handle on my own. I'm so glad I did because putting Him in charge was exactly what needed to be done. She woke up, knew exactly where she was and why, and declared that she was better and ready to go home! The nurses got such a kick out of her.


So, as you can guess, I'll be a little busy with Miss Allie for a bit, and will have to take some time off from blogging. I'll be posting every now and then as things settle down. Thanks so much for keeping the four of us in your prayers, and if there is anything, no matter how big or small, we can keep in prayer for you, please email me and let me know...it is a good thing to have people praying for you, believe me, I know! Here's a couple of verses from Psalms a friend gave to me today. I love this...


"If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter,
No evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your dwelling"
Psalm 91: 9-10

xoxo

Friday, June 8, 2007

More Celebrations...

Web1_3 Web3Little Big Girl just celebrated her 11th birthday. Man, the time is FLYING by!!  Her class party was the day before so Mandy and I baked 30 cupcakes, (enough for the entire 5th grade because my little lady thinks the "No Child Left Behind" law should also apply to birthday parties!), and off we went for Allie's class party. Then we surprised her on Wednesday (her actual birthday) at dismissal time with a bunch of balloons. She was so excited. Fun times...



Well today is also a very special day...16 years ago today, at 4:00PM, I married the most amazing man on earth. Happy Anniversary sweetie!!!Weddingday
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Thursday, June 7, 2007

Wednesday Stamper

So this week's Wednesday Stamper theme is flowers, and you'd think this would be a cinch for me, right? Well guess again...I was stumped big time...I kept cutting and pasting and stamping..then I would throw everything out and start all over again. I was getting really miffed because I couldn't find the stamps I was looking for (I have issues about putting my art things back where they belong) so after an hour of trying, I gave up. As I was cleaning up and getting ready for bed I came across a piece I started a while ago (remember that coupon book I got in the mail?) and sat down with it for a bit. This is the final result...with a wee bit of stamping here and there.  I can't remember where I found this poem, but it goes like this:


The Beauty Of A Woman


The beauty of a woman
Is not in the clothes she wears,
The figure that she carries,
Or the way she combs her hair.


The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes,
Because that is the doorway to her heart,
the place where love resides.


The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole,
But true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.


It is the caring that she lovingly gives,
The passion that she shows,
And the beauty of a woman
With passing years only grows.


---Anonymous

I want to thank all of you who take the time to stop by for a visit. It's so great to hear from you and hang out with you for a bit in cyberspace; and it's always a thrill to see what you're up to as well. Thanks again and God Bless:-) xoxo

Beautycover_2  Beauty2_3                                             Beauty3_2                                                Beauty4_4    

Friday, June 1, 2007

TGIF

Whew! It's been a crazy week!


Big Girl is finished with 8th grade and has celebrated her 14th birthday! Web3   Happy Birthday Mandy...I'm so proud of her. After being homeschooled for two years she adjusted incredibly well to her new environment and made Honor Roll for three straight quarters. Mandy's school offers a mentoring program for new students wherein upperclassmen take on the role of Big Brother, or in our case, Big Sister, to an underclassman. Here's our Big Girl (on the left in the brown dress) on Awards Night with her "Big Sister", Chelsea (who graduated Cum Laude this year, thank you very much!). Mandychelsea


Little Big Girl is also in full swing. Here she is celebrating her communion class graduation with her friends Madelyne and Emily Web_2 ...and she was the shining star in not one, but two class plays! There are 2 fifth grade classes at her school and they both did the same play...Guys and Dolls (without all the "grown-up" parts, as Allie would say). The girl who had the same role as Allie in the other 5th grade class could not be there for her class performance, so like the trooper she is, Allie stepped in and played both roles. The kids were so dang cute!Web3_6 






And guess what? I received two magazine comp copies the other day...I had 2 cards published in Take Ten, and my "Little Women" mini book was published in Gallery. Pretty cool mail surprise!
Ttsummer07a_6 Ttsummer07b_5   


  Gallerysum07_2

Monday, May 28, 2007

In Remembrance...

Wreath











Memorial Day is the time for Americans to reconnect with their history and core values by honoring those who gave their lives for the ideals we cherish.

More than a million American service members died in the wars and conflicts this nation fought since the first colonial soldiers took up arms in 1775 to fight for independence. Each person who died during those conflicts was a loved one cherished by family and friends. Each was a loss to the community and the nation.


Sadly, many Americans have lost this connection with their history. All too many Americans today view military service as an abstraction, as images seen on television and in movies. For a growing percentage of the American people, Memorial Day has come to mean simply a three-day weekend or a major shopping day. Families might still gather for picnics, but for many of them, the patriotic core - the spirit of remembrance - is absent.

Memorial Day, like the military itself, is largely cut off from its historic meaning for many Americans. They have forgotten what the military stands for in the nation's history. We in this country owe a great debt of gratitude to those who sacrificed their lives so that we could live free. We can start to pay that debt by not forgetting, by remembering what they did and what they stood for.


Listen to these words by Charles M. Province:

"It is the Soldier, not the reporter,
Who has given us Freedom of the Press.
It is the Soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us Freedom of Speech.
It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer,
Who has given us the Freedom to demonstrate.
It is the Soldier, not the lawyer,
Who has given us the right to a fair trial;
And it is the Soldier--who salutes the flag,
Who serves the flag, and
Whose coffin is draped by the flag--
Who allows the protester to burn the flag."


Adapted from the Special Events Speech Series of the US Army


THANK YOU TO ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE US ARMED FORCES. MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL…

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Secret Dreams

Sometimes I need to do quick, simple, projects just for fun, or to prime the pump. I barely had an hour to complete this very simple little board book for an online contest, and although more could have been done to it from an artistic standpoint, I still like the results.  The whole idea was to show off the papers, so inking, painting and distressing would have defeated the purpose! Love these beautiful papers from Marah Johnson's Love Struck line...all the images are copies of John Waterhouse paintings.Dreamcover Dream2 xoxo
Dream3






Dream4_2 Dream5

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Happy Mother's Day!

Mothers_day "If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in its place, but have not love, I am a housekeeper ­ not a homemaker.


If I have time for waxing, polishing, and decorative achievements, but have not love, my children learn cleanliness not godliness.


If I scream at my children for every infraction, and fault them for every mess they make, but have not love, my children become people-pleasers­ not obedient children.


Love leaves the dust in search of a child’s laugh.


Love smiles at the tiny fingerprints on a newly cleaned window.


Love wipes away the tears before it wipes up the spilled milk.


Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys.


Love accepts the fact that I am the ever-present “mommy,” the taxi-driver to every childhood event, the counselor when my children fail or are hurt.


Love crawls with the baby, walks with the toddler, and runs with the child, then stands aside to let the youth walk into adulthood.


Before I became a mother I took glory in my house of perfection. Now I glory in God’s perfection of my child. All the projections I had for my house and my children have faded away into insignificance, and what remain are the memories of my kids.


Now there abides in my home scratches on most of the furniture, dishes with missing place settings, and bedroom walls full of stickers, posters and markings,


But the greatest of all is the Love that permeates my relationships with my children."


Corinthians 13 Paraphrased For Mothers
Adapted by Jim Fowler


I wish all you moms a very blessed and happy Mother's Day!

Friday, May 11, 2007

Wednesday Stamper

Turquoiseweb_2Wow...I've been MIA haven't I?? LOL...It's the home stretch of the school year and it seems every major event is being crammed into the next five weeks! This week's Wednesday Stamper theme is "Turquoise". I decided to cover a few mini composition books with Basic Grey paper . The sweet little girl is a favorite image of mine. xoxo

Thursday, May 3, 2007

First Attempt

Well, I'm still working on those mini books I mentioned before, but I did finally had an opportunity to sit down and create a small mini album with a few pictures I took of the girls at the beach. I didn't design the accordian album you see here, it is based on a class offered by the very talented Angelia (pronounced "Angela") Wiggington. I ordered the kit and changed it around to suit my taste. Grow_album_005b The papers are by Heidi Grace. I actually saw this line in AC Moore the other day...very expensive, but so pretty.




Grow_album_002b_4 Grow_album_003b_2


Speaking of expensive, have you seen the new Martha stuff at Michael's? I skimmed the aisles (they have so much of it!) but didn't look at anything in detail. I did notice the 18x18 albums she has...that is just waaaaaay to big for me! I'm barely getting used to 12 x 12...forget anything bigger than that.


Renee02 Renee01_2


Remember I mentioned that we helped my friend Renee move her scrapbook store to a new location? It was an incredible amount of work but we all had a blast working together. I really loved how we all pulled together and worked right alongside her that day. It was a very cool experience! The new store looks awesome; it's very pretty, quaint and has great space.  She'll be all set up this weekend for National Scrapbooking Day, and has a bunch of fun things happening. If you live locally, come on by. We'll be doing make and take projects from 11-5! xoxo


Scrapbook Patch
650 Rt 112, Port Jefferson Station
(in Pointe Plaza near Cinco de Mayo Restaurant)
(631)509-5218

Monday, April 30, 2007

Busy...Busy

Hi everyone, I'm still standing! I spent the last few days helping my friend Renee move her scrapbook store to a new location. It's coming along, but man oh man...I don't envy any store owner for all the work that this type of move entails. We're exhausted, but we are happy with a job well done. I finished a few projects that I'll post tomorrow. Until then...here's a few ATCs of mine that were published in Jill Haglund's new book...xoxo


Jill1 Jill5 Jill4 Jill3

Friday, April 20, 2007

Still here...

Kerrieatc3 Thanks so much for your emails everyone!! You guys are so sweet and funny. I'm still here. I've been experimenting with a few fun things, you know, fun little projects just for pure enjoyment.


Boardbook2_3 I'm working on a ton of these little mini board books ...got the backgrounds done but as of yet I have no clue what theme I'll use. I'll have to ponder that while I'm at the beach today!


I've also tried a few scrapbook layouts, mostly from online classes I've signed up for. This has been a blast, but I really need more practice! When they're all done I'll post them.



Starbucksmatchbook1a_2 This used to be some kind of gift tag. I think it was originally attached to a Starbucks mug I received as a gift. It opens up like a little matchbook (very cute). I covered it with Basic Grey papers (Stella Ruby baby!! -- love these papers) and will place a pic of the four of us in it with a poem or something.


Couponbook1a And this used to be a coupon book I received from a local clothes store. Who needs coupons when one can create a mini book, right? I have no clue what this will be but I'm having fun figuring it all out! More Basic Grey paper (Perhaps) on this one.


Sean is going to help me set up a work area in the basement this weekend. As some of you know, I've been in my new house for a year and I'm still working out of boxes. All my stuff is packed up because I have absolutely NO space to use as a studio. I honestly cannot function any longer like this, so I'm taking over the basement. Now you know what I'll be up to this weekend. I can't wait to have everything out in the open. No more digging.  Thanks again for checking up on me. Stay well!! xoxo


PS. Yes, that ATC image is the same one that appears in my banner above. I made this ATC a while ago for my friend Kerrie in Australia and it's still one of my faves. Enjoy your weekend. I may have to take a break tomorrow and head for the beach. It's going to be beautiful here on Long Island!